Buckle.



W. A. HOLDEN.

BUCKLE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG.24,1908.

' Patented Apr; 20, 1909.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER A. HOLDEN, OF ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE R COMPANY, OF SHELTON, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

B UCKLE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Application filed August 24, 1908. Serial No. 450,018.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER A. HOLDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at A11- sonia, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buckles of the lock lever class designed to carry the extremity of a webbing and to operate along the running portion of the latter to form an adjustable The object of my invention is to provide a buckle of this character wherein the extremity of the Webbing is carried by a diflerent member of the back of the buckle from that which coacts with the lever to engage and deflect the running portion, and which may be so strung with webbing that the rear face portion of the back is substantially covered or confined within the folds of the webbing producing what is commonly known in the trade as the rustless effect.

Another object is to mount the member, which coacts with the lever to deflect and hold the running portion, in such a manner that the same will yield in response to the action of the lever, thereby locking the latter in its closed position when the webbing is slack and width to the running portion to accommodate difl'ercnt thicknesses of the webbing; and a further object is to construct a light and durable back for a buckle of this class which can be readily and economically made out of a single piece of wire.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the details of construction and manner of-operation more fully set forth in the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to corresponding parts.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front view of the buckle a portion of the lever and attached webbing being shown broken away; Fig. 2, a vertical section taken on line xx in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a front view of the buckle showing the lever in its open position; Fig. 4, a similar view to Fig. 2 but showing the position of the parts. when the webbing is under stress; Fig. 5, a rear View of a modification; Fig. 6, a vertical section of the buckle shown in Fig. 5 strung withthe web-.

presenting a passage of variable bing, and Fig. 7, a rear View of a further modification.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the frame or back A is made out of a single piece of wire doubled forwardly upon an intermediate portion forming the web attaching member rear bar a and a divided web. engaging mem ber front bar I), b spaced from the attaching member leaving an elongated loop for the passage of the end of the webbing, then dropped abruptly from the divided engaging member I), b and carried outwardly in opposite directions to form the depending portions 0, 0, having their outer extremities carried upwardly around the ends of the loop formed by engaging and attaching members.

a and b, 12 forming the side members (Z, (Z and terminating in the inwardly projecting-pintles e, e. If desired the web engaging member b, b may be roughened, serrated or otherwise present a web gripping surface to the webbing.

Hinged to the pintles c, e is the web looking lever B preferably made out of sheet metal bent to form a front portion or shield pintle sockets g, g and a web deflecting member h provided with web holding teeth w. The extremity '5 of the webbing C is cramped or threaded through the loop or passage formed by the attaching member a and the engaging member I), I) being closely embraced by these members, then folded around the attaching member a and may if desired be sewed upon itself by stitchesk. The extremity of the webbing C being thus secured to the buckle, the running portion is carried downwardly and returning upon itself passes upwardly in front of the de ending portions 0,0 and engaging members b in the rear of and beneath the web locking lever B, the de-.

fleeting member 7% of which is swung over the engaging member I), b and slightly to the rear thereof to aposition immediately above the attaching member a, and coacts with the engaging member b, b to deflect the running portion of the webbing out of its normal vertical alinement, thereby frictionally engaging and holding the same when slack, and causing the webbing to draw and bind engaging member 6, b and the teeth w of the deflecting member h when under draft or tension. i

The buckle strung as described forms an OBERT N. BASSETT around theadjustable loo in the webbing carrying the cast oil piece l and the entire back A of the buckle is substantially covered exposing only the side members d, d. The back A is pre vented from tilting while the lever B is being manipulated and is properly balanced on the webbing when the latter is under draft or tension by means of the transversely disversely to form the pintle bar Z,

osed depending portions 0, c which are eon med within the adjustable loop in the webbing and serve as feet to engage the same. The web engaging member I), b being mounted on the inner extremities of the depending portions 0, c is enabled to yield bodily downwardly and rearwardly together with the web attaching member a in response to the swinging movement of the deflecting member h of the lever without disturbing the relative arrangement between these two members. This yielding movement presents a passage of variable width to the running portion accommodating different thicknesses of webbing, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing diflerent sizes of buckles for the different kinds of webbing.

The top of the web attaching member a may lie above or below the top of the web engaging member b, b and in either case the lever may, if desired, be proportioned and mounted to hold the deflected portion of the webbing passing under the web holding teeth 'w of the web deflecting member 72 directly above the extremity t passing over the attaching member ct. This arrangement leaves a slight clearance between the extremity i and deflected portion 0 as is indicated by the letter 0 in Fig. 4 but presents alined surfaces along the back of the webbing and produces substantially therustless eifect, so called because the entire back of the buckle is covered with webbing permitting no part thereof to come into contact with the garment of the wearer. The elongated opening for the pas sage of the extremity of the webbing may be made wide enough to accommodate a maximum thickness without destroying the rustless effect above referred to, since any increased clearance between the extremity i. and deflected portion 0, due to the use of thinner webbing, is not great enough to per mit any portion of the garment to come into contact with the engaging member I), b or any other portion of the buckle. The upward draft of the webbing is taken by the defleeting member h of the lever and then transmitted to the trunnions, while the downward draft is taken by attaching member (1, thus when the buckle is subjected to the normal strain of the webbing these two p arts recede slightly and when subjected to a sudden or greater strain recede a greater dis tance so that any tendency of the webbing to slip is retarded.

When the buckle is closed the front portion f engages the front of the running portion of the webbing below the deflected portion 0 and thereby determines the position of the deflecting member h of the lever.

Referring to the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the frame A is made out of a single piece of wire having a substantially straight intermediate portion disposed transbent downwardly at its extrennties to form side members m, m, then carried inwardly and upwardly to form the depending portions n, n, and having its extremities turned outwardly abruptly in opposite directions and doubled upon themselves forming an elongated loop or opening having the web carrying or attaching member 0, o for its rearward and lower side and the web engaging member p, p for its forward and upper side. Hinged to the pintle bar Z is the web holding or defleeting lever B having the front portion f and the deflecting member 72/, being substantially of the same construction as the lever B shown in the preceding figures. The extremity t" of the webbing C is cramped or threaded through the o ening formed between the attaching mem )er 0, 0 and the engaging member 19, p being closely embraced by these members, and is then folded over the depending portions 11, a and, if desired, may be sewed upon itself b ystitches 7c. The extremity of the webbing being thus secured the running portion is carried downwardly form ing the lower rear reach and returning upon itself passes upwardly in front of the engaging member 1), 79, in under the lever B, the deflecting member h of which swings over the engaging member 2?, p and coacts therewith to deflect the running portion rearwardly into vertical alinement substantially with the lower rear reach and locks the run ning portion in the same manner as in the preceding figures. In this modification the deflecting member h of the lever is bent nearer to the front portion f than the corresponding member of the lever B in the preceding figures, thereby causing a deflection of the webbing of less amplitude; so in order to preserve the flush and rustless effect,

, hereinbefore referred to, it is necessary to dispose the attaching member 0, 0 below the top of but close to the engaging member p, 11) leaving a space between the attaching and engaging members just wide enough to admit the extremity t of the webbing. This arrangement enables the portion it of the lever to deflect the running portion so that the upper reach will be alined with the lower rear reach and at the same time so closely confine the engaging member p, p between the reaches that the same is prevented from comin into contact with the garment. If desire however, the attaching member may be disposed directly beneath the engaging member p, 19 instead of rearwardly thereof, the efi ect of such an arrangement being too obvious to require additional illustration. It may be noticed that in this modification the attaching member 0, and the depending portions n, a are confined within the fold formed in the webbing, and that the engaging member p, p lies close down on the upper corner of the fold. This arrangement taken together with that of the lever above described enables the buckle when strung with webbing to present a thin, compact and fiat like appearance.

Referring to the modification shown in Fig. 7 the frame A is made out of a single piece of wire coiled forwardly and inwardly upon the extremities of a transversely disposed inter mediate web attaching member (1 forming the small loops or eyes 1", 1', then doubled inwardly upon the attaching member leaving an elongated opening for passage of the end of the webbing and forming the divided web engaging member s, s, then dropped abruptly from the divided engaging member and carried outwardly around the ends of the small loops 1*, r in the form of transversely disposed bends t, t, and continued upwardly forming side members u, a terminating above the attaching and'engaging members in inwardly bent pintles o, v. Hinged to the pintles e, 'u is the web locking lever 13 having the front portion 7, being substantially identical with the levers in the preceding figures. The webbing may be attached and strung and the buckle operated in the same manner as that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, hereinbefore described. However, the vertical disposition of the bends 1, r in this modification enables the engaging members 8, s to yield relatively to the attaching member Q when the latter is sprung in response to the action of the lever, and further eliminates the objectionable appearance of the ends of the loop formed by the attaching and engaging members since all of the exposed parts are vertically inclined when viewe from the side.

The wire forming the back in all of the modifications may be bent either in the manner shown in Figs. 3 and 7 so that the attaching member will be continuous, or as shown in Fig. 5 so that the attaching member will be divided.

The different relative arrangements between the attaching and engaging members, and the lever above described may obviously be applied to all the different embodiments of my invention whether or not the back or frame is made out of wire, or other suitable material; and while I have disclosed the preferred forms of my device the invention is susceptible of still further modification comprehending such broad features asfairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what the extremity of i l I claim and desire to protect by Letters Pati ent is:

1. A buckle having a web holding lever journaled thereon and provided with a web attaching member and a web engaging member, both of said members being mounted to yield bodily relatively to said lever.

2. A buckle having a web holding lever journaled thereon and provided with a web attaching member and a web engaging member, one of said members being carried directly by the other, and the other member being mounted to yield bodily relatively to the lever.

3. A buckle having a web deflecting lever journaled thereon and provided with a web engaging portion mounted to yield bodily relatively to said lever and a web attaching portion carried directly by said engaging portion.

4. A buckle comprising a frame made out of'a single piece of wire doubled upon itself to form an elongated loop having a web carrying portion and a web engaging portion, and then dropped and carried outwardly in opposite directions around the ends of said loop, and a web holding lever hinged to said frame.

5. A buckle having a back made out of a single piece of wire doubled upon itself to present web engaging and web attaching members, then dropped from one of said members and carried in opposite direction around the ends of said members to form sides, and having its extremities bent inwardly above said members to form pintles, and a lever hinged to said pintles, the said lever being provided 1 with means arranged to coact with said web engaging member to hold the running portion of a webbing.

6. A buckle comprising a frame made out of a single piece of wire having its intermediate portion doubled forwardly upon itself to present front and back bars spaced apart to form a vertical passage for t e insertion of the end of a webbing, then dro ped from said front bar and carried outward y and upward around the ends of said bars to form sides, the extremities of the wire being then bent l inwardly at the top of said sides to form ,l pintles, and a lever ournaled on said pintles, the said lever being provided with a web defleeting member arranged to swing over said bars when the buckle is closed.

7. A buckle having a frame made out of a single piece of wire doubled upon itself to form front and back members, then dropped from one of said members and carried outwardly in opposite directions and then up wardly above said members to form sides, and a web locking lever hinged to said frame above said front and back members, the said lever being provided with a web deflecting member arranged to swing over said front member when the buckle is closed.

8. A buckle having a frame made out of a single piece of Wire doubled upon itself to member to deflect the running portion of a 1510mm {T012113 enddbeok ngembei's, ithen beng I Webbing.

oWnWm 1 an emrie outwai'c i Y aroun ,1 1 l Y the ends of said members to form sides, and i WALiEI HOLDEN a lever provided with a deflecting member Witnesses: hinged to said frame in a position to have i FREDERICK W. IIOLDEN,' said deflecting member coact with said front I MARGARET E. BAXTER. 

